The most current look at California politics, complete with an award-winning adaptive learning tool This text provides a thorough introduction to the major institutions and processes of California state politics. It emphasizes critical thinking and the relevance of state government to students’ lives. New coauthor Melissa Michelson (Menlo College) brings expertise on how race and ethnicity intersect with California politics to the thoroughly updated Seventh Edition.

Think critically about California politics. Governing California in the Twenty-First Century introduces students to the major institutions and processes of California state politics and teaches them to think critically about how these processes affect their lives. Using contemporary examples and updated data on hot topics–such as the 2022 midterm election results, the impact of the recall vote for Governor Gavin Newsom, and the continuing challenges posed by the pandemic and wildfires–Governing California shows students why state government matters. Building on the work of new co-author Melissa Michelson (Menlo College), who has expanded the coverage of race and ethnicity throughout the text, the Ninth Edition features the new California and the Nation section in each chapter, which provides in-depth perspectives on how California’s actions on issues of justice, diversity, and inclusion intersect with politics and compare to actions of the rest of the nation.